The Fifth Element
by Meerkat Moka
Summary: During his exile, Zuko and his uncle come across a criminal that is highly wanted by the Fire Nation, the Cheshire Cat. Problem is, she's injured. Zuko takes her to shelter, and most likely saves her life. He more or less invites her to travel with them. As time goes on, what will happen between the two? Oc insert, OC/Cannon.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

**WHAAA KILL MEEE**

**I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I made another fanfiction. The plot wouldn't leave me alone.**

**So, a bit of info about the story. **

**This is an Avatar: Last Airbender fanfic, and it has an OC insert. Oc/cannon pairing. There in a new element. This takes place when Zuko and his uncle are completely banished from the Fire Nation, A.K.A after he cuts off his ponytail and starts growing his hair out. So..yup.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Avatar or any of the cannon characters. I own any Ocs and some of the plot.**

**I hope you enjoy the story!**

…**...**

"Zuko, we should find shelter!" Zuko looked at his uncle as he spoke.

"What do you think I'm doing?!" He snapped over the roar of the rain.

Zuko returned to his search, eyes scanning the forest. What he found wasn't what he was expecting.

A girl, most likely around his age (which was 16), was unconscious on the forest floor. Her long black hair was fanned out around her. She had on an outfit that looked like that girl Katara's, a purple version, but the left sleeve was dyed red with blood.

Zuko started to walk on, teeth gritted.

"Zuko..." His uncle said softly.

He glanced once again at the girl before sighing, walking back to her and carefully picking her up.

"There's a cave up ahead. Let's go." Zuko growled.

Once they entered the cave, Zuko laid out his cloak, setting the girl down on it. He stood at the entrance of the cave as his uncle took care of the girl, dressing her wound and drying her off slightly with fire placed at a safe distance.

"She matches the description of the Cheshire Cat." His uncle murmured.

Zuko tensed, turning around.

"She's about as wanted as the Avatar is!" He exclaimed, "Bind her hands!"

"She's injured, Zuko..."

"She's _the _Cheshire Cat. She attacks the Fire Nation almost daily. No one knows what type of bender she is, or her true identity. Bind her hands!"

Iroh sighed but did as his nephew said.

"Maybe father would let me back if I turned her in!"

"Zuko, I think it's too late for that.."

"Yeah...maybe.." Zuko grumbled, looking out of the cave.

Morning came quicker than Zuko would have liked. He sighed, running a hand through his growing hair.

He sat up, looking around the cave.

Zuko's eyes widened as he saw Cheshire trying to bite through the ropes that held her hands.

"Hey! Stop that!" Zuko growled, pinning her to the ground.

"G-Get off of me!" She struggled under him.

"Be quiet, Cheshire!"

Just then, his uncle walked back into the cave.

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt anything." Iroh chuckled, setting some tea on the fire.

Both blinked a couple times.

Zuko jumped away from her. Both's cheeks were slightly red.

Iroh sat by the fire, tending the tea.

"So, would you untie me already? It's not like I can do anything right now with my shoulder and arm wounded." She grumbled.

"I suppose, plus, I do believe this has something to do with your power source?" Iroh held up a choker necklace that had six crystals dangling off of it. The middle two crystals were deep purple. On the outside of each purple crystal was a dark red crystal, slightly smaller than the first. On each end there was a white crystal, smaller than the other four.

"Hey, finefinefine, I'll tell you anything you want, just untie me and give that back. Make a deal with you, eh?" She nodded.

"Zuko, untie the lady." Iroh nodded.

Zuko growled but did as he was told.

"Th-Thank you...I-" She cut off with a cough.

"Oh, I hope you didn't catch a cold." Iroh said, throwing the necklace at her. She caught it with ease, placing it back on her neck.

"Honestly, you're to kind to her." Zuko snapped.

"Hey buddy, at least I wasn't kicked out of my own kingdom."

Zuko went silent. He sat at the entrance of the cave with his back to them.

"I would prefer you not talk about that." Iroh sighed, handing her a cup of tea.

"Of course, I'm sorry." She murmured, taking the tea from him. Before she could take a sip, she broke out into another fit of coughing.

Zuko glanced at her. A light flush was on her cheeks. She seemed harmless enough, but she was wanted by the Fire Nation..

"Get some rest, we start traveling tomorrow." Zuko said, turning his gaze away from her.

"You're really going to take me with you?!" A bit of hope was in her voice.

"Don't feel special, one wrong move, and you're off to the Fire Lord, Cheshire Cat." He snapped.

"R-Right..." She looked down.

"You have a fever. Like I said, get some rest." Zuko ordered, "Uncle, let's go and try to find something to eat."

"Coming!" Iroh stood, walking out of the cave with Zuko.

When they left, Cheshire lay back down on Zuko's cloak, covering herself with it.

_Why is he...of all people, being nice to me? And his uncle to add...he's old enough that he should remember what happened..._

She looked up as she heard footsteps.

"Iroh? Zuko?"

Zuko sighed, glaring in distain at the berries and nut he had gather. The same was for his uncle.

"I hate living like this!"

"Zuko, things will get worse before they get better."

"Yeah? Things just keep on getting worse." Zuko started to head back towards the cave. Iroh sighed, following.

Once they got back, Zuko growled, storming in the cave.

"Cheshire is gone! I should have known that no good criminal would have-" He ranted.

"Taken." Iroh corrected, picking up his charred cloak, "She was taken by firebenders."

"Not on my watch." Zuko stormed out of the cave.

The Cheshire Cat herself was tied up to a tree with chains. Her injuries were pulled uncomfortably.

"Let me go! I demand it!" She growled, struggling against her bonds.

One of the five guys that had taken her slapped her hard across the face.

"Shut it, you filth." He snapped.

"Make me." She snarled, spitting blood on his face from a cut in her lip.

"The Fire Lord will pay me just the same if I just bring back your head!" The man snapped, pulling her head back by her hair and placing a dagger at her throat.

Her eyes widened.

"Get your hands off of my prisoner!" The man was suddenly kicked away from her.

"Z-Zuko!"

"Well, well, looks like I'll be getting triple!" The man cackled. The two other guys went after Zuko.

Her eyes widened as she felt a tug on her bonds.

"Shhh..." Iroh raised a finger to his lips, melting through the chains that held her.

She grinned when the chains fell to the ground. In a flash, she had vanished.

Zuko's eyes widened as Cheshire appeared behind the man he was fighting. Her blue eyes glowed eerily and a wide grin was across her face as she raised a finger to her lips. He followed her finger as she pointed downwards. A black circle was under the man's feet. Zuko heard a snap, and the man fell into the shadows.

Iroh had taken care of the second man, so Zuko started to deal with the third.

Cheshire giggled as she sent shadows at the forth man. They engulfed him. As the shadows retreated, everyone but she was horrified to see the man had nothing but his boxers and shoes on. He ran away.

She clapped her hands.

Zuko stared in wonder for a moment. She was bipolar! No wonder she was called the Cheshire Cat...

He quickly finished his opponent.

He whirled around as he heard a thud. The last guy had slammed Cheshire into a tree. He raised a dagger, ready to slit her throat.

Zuko fire-blasted the man away from her.

"Well damn." She rubbed the back of her head, wincing.

"Let's go." Zuko growled, grabbing her hand and running. His uncle followed close behind.

When they got a safe distance away, they finally slowed down.

Zuko glanced back at Cheshire. She had fallen behind. She coughed quietly, looking away from the two.

He fell back enough so that he could walk beside her. He place a spare robe over her.

"Thanks...for everything." She murmured, pulling the robe around her.

"No problem, Cheshire." Zuko sighed.

"Alice."

"What?"

"My name...it's Alice." She smiled slightly at him. The flush from her fever, and possibly something else, was still evident on her cheeks.

"Alice, that's a lovely name." Iroh smiled, placing his hands in his sleeves.

"Thanks. I prefer you not tell anyone..." The newly dubbed Alice sighed, tightening the robe around her. She covered her mouth, coughing.

"When we get to a town, we'll get you something to heal you." Zuko said, looking away from her.

"Oh, n-no, it's fine! No telling how much a cure will cost!" She shook her head.

"Nonsense. If you're going to be traveling with us now, I won't have you coughing all the time."

"Thanks..."

Iroh glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes.

_A shadowbender...I thought they had all been killed. How peculiar._

…_..._

**Author Note**

**Yayy..**

**FIRST CHAPTA!**

**So, I hope you enjoyed, drop by a review if you can! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**

**Thanks to those of you who reviewed last chapter! It means a lot to me!**

**So, here's the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer- I own nothing but my own Ocs.**

…**...**

"A-Achoo!"

"See! I _told you _you are sick!"

"And I said I'm still fine to travel!"

"Alice, come on! You've had a fever for the past two days!"

"Don't call me by my real name with people around!"

"Then MOVE!"

"No, I'm not going in that doctor's place!"

"I'll make you!"

Iroh sighed, watching the two sixteen year-olds argue. Zuko was trying to push Alice into the doctor's place but she refused.

"Nope nope nope!"

"Ali-"

"Cheshire!"

"Fine! _Cheshire, _GO ALREADY!"

"You can't-hey!"

Zuko finally managed to get her in the doors. Iroh followed with a shake of his head.

"May I help you two?" The man asked with a smile

"Yes, my friend here has a cold and we were hoping for a cure."

"Of course." The man walked over to the shelf, pulling a few things down. When he walked back over to the group, Iroh took the things from him.

"That will be five silver."

"Of course." Iroh handed the money over.

The two men turned to leave. Alice had already went outside.

Zuko sighed, walking over to her.

"Let's go." He said.

"Why are you so kind to me?" Alice muttered, "I've attacked the Fire Nation who knows how many times..."

"I'm not part of the fire nation anymore. You haven't tried to attack us, so why should I hate you?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged his hand off.

"I'm going back to the camp. I will pay you back, somehow..." Alice muttered, walking off with her hands in her pocket.

"Come on, Zuko, let's go get some supplies." Iroh said.

"Fine." Zuko said, following his uncle as he walked away. He glanced back at Alice's retreating form. He turned away with a sigh.

Iroh narrowed his eyes as he saw a few Fire Nation people and pulled down his hat slightly.

After buying a few things, the two returned to the camp to find Alice asleep in the shade. Iroh walked over to her, putting a hand on her forehead.

"Her fever's gotten worse."

"Well, it's the stupid cat's own fault!"

"I heard that..." Alice muttered, opening one eye.

"In any case, we have to go." Iroh said, "I saw a few people from the Fire Nation in town."

"Of course..." She murmured, standing up.

"Alice, look out!" Zuko tackled Alice. Her eyes widened as she saw a blue fireball hit where she had been standing just a moment ago.

"Alice?" Azula stepped out of the trees, eyes widened ever so slightly, "I thought there was a resemblance. Good to see you after so long." She sneered.

"Azula?! What are you doing here?!" Zuko demanded, helping Alice to her feet.

"Father sent me to get rid of you two. He's tired of you embarrassing him. Who would have known I would find the Cheshire Cat herself as well." She glared at the group of three.

"Don't hurt her!" Zuko pulled Alice behind him.

_What did she mean by 'good to see you after so long'?!_

"Aw, does little Zuzu have a girlfriend?" Azula cooed, a mocking smirk on her face.

"I-"

"Leave, Azula. I don't want to fight you."

Zuko's eyes widened as Alice appeared in front of him. Shadow whips extended from her pointer and index finger.

"What? Still have mix feelings on attacking your old friend?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Friend..? Alice, what does she mean by that?!" Zuko asked. A pained look came over Alice's face. She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth and looking away from them.

"She didn't tell you? Of course she didn't. She was raised by the Fire Nation, as my servant." Azula laughed at the look on Iroh's and Zuko's faces.

"W-What?"

"That's right..." Iroh muttered, "I remember a hooded figure dropping the child off. She was shot down... The child was five. All of her hair was short except for two braids with spikes on the end..."

"A symbol...of my people." Alice said quietly. The shadow whips disappeared.

Zuko stood in shock. But...he remembered her!

One day when Azula forced him to 'play' with her and her two main friends, there was another girl with short, spiky brown hair and two long braids. She was kind to him when Azula pushed him and Mai into the fountain, she had handed him a towel.

He remembered Azula punishing her for it

He remembered being slightly saddened when she left when he was ten.

"Azula, please, I beg of you, don't fight. I don't want to fight you." Alice pleaded.

"Oh?" Azula smirked, "But I don't care about you anymore. You were banished because you learned bending when you weren't supposed to. You were beaten and driven away because you were a shadowbender, the forbidden fifth element." She leaned close to Alice, almost whispering in her ear, "You were hated...because you weren't supposed to exist."

"S-Shut up...!" Alice shook her head, backing away.

"You're mother is dead because of you! Because she tried to save you!" Azula taunted.

"Shut UP!" She shouted, summoning the whips again. Azula leaped back, barely avoiding the attack.

"Oh? Finally decided to fight back?" She smirked. Alice growled.

Azula sent a fire-enhanced kick at her. Alice dodged it.

Azula darted up to her, grabbing her wrist, then her arm. A hand shaped burn mark was left in each place. Azula slung Alice into a tree. She didn't move.

Zuko finally came back to his senses, attacking Azula the same time Iroh did. She kicked Zuko away with a swift kick to the side. Iroh aimed a fire breath at her, but she swiftly moved to the side.

Azula was about to send lightning at her uncle, but something kicked her, sending her flying. She was knocked against a boulder.

Zuko's eyes widened at what he saw in front of him. A purplish black horse and a deep red horse stood in front of them. The mane of the purplish black one looked like black and purple flames, and the red one's mane looked like red and black. Both had eyes that were a startling bright blue, the same as Alice's

His eyes swiveled to Alice. She was standing, leaning against the tree. She met his eyes but quickly looked away.

"It's been awhile, Alice." Zuko jumped when a deep voice came from the purplish black horse.

"I was wondering if something had happened, you had not summoned us for so long." The red one said in a more feminine tone.

"I'm sorry, Eques, Roette. It won't happen again." Alice smiled softly.

"I KNEW it! You're a shadowbender!" Iroh exclaimed.

"Uh...Azula said that a moment ago..." She blinked.

"Right..."

"We have to go before she awakes. These two can transport us." Alice said. She glanced at Zuko, who had remained quiet throughout the ordeal.

"I will explain everything when we get away from here." She said softly to him. She then turned to the two horses, "Roette, take Iroh. Eques, are you alright with taking me and Zuko?"

"Of course." Eques rumbled.

"Hello Roette." Iroh patted her when she walked over to him.

"Alice, I like him." Roette...said, lowering herself so Iroh could get on. Eques did the same for Zuko and Alice.

"I hope you don't mind...I would summon one other, but I don't have another. Just like the flying bison airbenders had, shadowbenders have shadow horses. Eques is mine, and Roette used to be my mothers..." Alice said softly.

"N-Not at all..." Zuko cleared his throat, getting on the back of Eques. Alice got on behind him.

"Roette, Eques, go." Alice said. The two started off quickly.

After a while, Zuko's eyes traveled to Alice's arm that was around his waist to make sure she didn't fall off. It had burn marks on it..

"You're burnt..."

"I am fine." She said, pulling down her sleeve to hide the burns.

Zuko sighed. She was so different than the meek, compliant servant of Azula's he had once known long ago. When he had met her back them, he wouldn't have guessed...

"There is a town up ahead. Do you wish to stay there, Alice?" Eques said, turning his head to look at the two. The moon was slowly rising in the sky. A full moon.

"Iroh?"

"Yes, we can stay there for the night." Iroh answered.

Eques and Roette stopped at the edge of the town at Alice's command.

"We have to walk from here. These two don't exactly look like normal animals." She said, getting off. She hissed in pain as the action sent a jolt of pain up her arm.

As soon as Iroh and Zuko got off, the two shadow horses vanished.

"Alice? Are you alright?" Iroh asked.

"Fine...just fine." She answered, trying to ignore the heat radiating both from her wound and fever.

With some bargaining, the group got a room at an inn. Zuko plopped down on a bed while Alice when to go sit on the porch.

After a while, Iroh came outside. He sat by her, showing a few big leaves in her hand.

"This is a plant similar to aloe, it will take the heat and pain away from your burns."

"How did you know?"

"I may be old, but not blind." He chuckled, "Let me see your arm."

Alice nodded slightly, pulling up her sleeve. Iroh carefully set the leaves on her wound, then covered that with a layer of bandages.

"You know, I was sort of surprised you didn't recognize me right away." She said quietly.

"It was hard to, you changed a lot." Iroh said, "When you were younger-"

"I know..." Alice said quietly. She glanced at the sleeping Zuko, then to the full moon shining in the sky.

"The only thing that's the same about you is the braids, eyes, and name. You've completely changed." Iroh chuckled.

"I suppose I have..."

"Now, why not try to get some sleep. You need to rest to fight off the cold." He said, standing up and offering his hand. Alice took it, standing.

"Yeah...goodnight, Iroh." She smiled softly, walking over to one of the beds and laying down.

"Goodnight Alice."

**Author's Note**

**Yeee second chappie! I hope this was good enough for people, and thanks once again to those who reviewed! It makes me happeh.**

**So...yup...words...**

**LOOK! DOTS! …...**

***ahem***

**I shall be leaving.**

**GOOD BYE PEOPLE! I LOVE YOU ALL! Unless you flame. **

**THEN I DISLIKE YOU**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**

**Hiiii again! I MISSED YOU ALL.**

**So...nothing really to say this AN, but thanks to all for the views and reviews XD **

**Disclaimer-I only own my Ocs and the plot!**

**Here's the...fourth? No, I think it's the third... CHAPTER ANYWAYS!**

…...

"Oh my...this isn't good..." Iroh murmured, leaning over the bed-ridden Alice. Her cheeks were flushed with a heavy fever.

"What's wrong with her?" Zuko asked, pacing on the other side of her bed.

"Her cold's seemed to have gotten worse. Very much worse."

"N-No...I'm still fine to travel..!" Alice's words got cut off with a cough.

"No you aren't, Alice." Zuko said softly. He walked over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You need rest. All of this traveling has been horrible for you." Iroh said.

Zuko grabbed a cloth out of a bowl of water, wringing it out slightly before placing it on her forehead. She cringed at the cold contact. He placed the back of his hand on her cheek, drawing back after a moment.

"You're burning up..." Zuko said softly.

"I'm going into town to buy some supplies." Iroh said, walking towards the door.

"W-Wait..." Alice pushed herself up in the bed. She reached over to the bedside table, picking up a small pouch.

"What is it?"

"It's money." She said softly, "Shadow Nation money. I was saving it for something special."

"Alice, I can't take that, that is a memento of your..." Iroh started.

"Nonsense." She shook her head, taking a single purple coin out and setting it on the table beside her dagger.

Alice tossed the pouch to Iroh. He caught it with ease.

"A lot of people, if they are seasoned merchants, will know not to take the money as payment. Since the Shadow Nation was destroyed, it's not exactly counted as true money. However, historians and antique collectors love buying things from the Shadow Nation. Sell those coins, and use the right money to buy anything you need. I-" She got cut off with a coughing fit.

"Alice, you need to lie down." Zuko gently pushed her back down to her bed, covering her back up and replacing the cloth.

"I will do as you ask..." Iroh sighed, "I will be back soon. Be safe." He walked about of the room.

"Hey Zuko..." Alice murmured.

"Yeah? What is it?"

She raised a hand, slowly tracing the scar around his eye.

"How did you get this scar..? I don't remember you having it.." She said with half lidded eyes.

Zuko scowled.

"You don't have to know."

"Zuko..." Alice gently cupped his cheek, "You don't have to act so tough around me..."

His eyes softened slightly.

"You're just acting this way because of the fever."

Her hand twitched slightly, and she drew away from him.

"Maybe..." Alice rolled over, turning her back to him.

Zuko's eyes were drawn to the skin that was exposed as the cloth covering her shoulder moved down as she turned. There was a ragged, thin line-like scar there. It was slanted slightly.

Alice tensed when he ran his fingers over the exposed scar on her right shoulder.

"What happened?"

"You wouldn't tell me..."

"A story for a story?"

"It was your father. He...sent a fire whip at me as I was running away. It goes across my back down to my left hip..." Alice said quietly.

"My father was the cause of mine, too. I'm sorry." Zuko sighed.

"Don't be. That was six years ago. It wasn't your fault." She rolled back around so that she could face him.

Silence hung between them for a moment.

"It really is nice to see you again, Zuko." Alice spoke up.

"Same here. You were kind, unlike Azula. You were probably the first and only friend I'll ever have."

"I doubt that." She sighed, "One day you'll find a girl that loves you for who you truly are...someone you can spend the rest of your life with..." She looked away from him.

_Someone who is high up in the Fire Nation, someone you can be happy to be seen with, and that someone is not me... _She added silently in her mind, unaware she had said the last part out loud.

"It could be." Zuko said quietly. He cupped her cheek.

"What?"

"That girl could be you."

"Zuko...I'm just an outcast..." Alice said softly, leaning into his hand.

"And so am I." Zuko smiled slightly at her, leaning down and pressing his lips to hers.

He pulled back quicker than Alice would have liked.

"Now, get some rest." He ordered, smoothing some hair out of her face.

"Yeah..." She murmured, closing her eyes and slowly drifting off to sleep.

Zuko stood once he thought she was asleep. He looked down when her hand grabbed his.

"Please don't go..." Alice said quietly. He frowned at the sight of the bandaged burns on her left arm, the arm she had grabbed him with.

Zuko sighed, taking her hand in his and sitting back down.

When Iroh walked in about an hour later, he was a little surprised at what he saw. Zuko was still sitting beside Alice, but his head was on her bed. Both were asleep, and their hands were intertwined.

Iroh smiled slightly. He walked over to the side of Alice's bed that Zuko was occupying, and placed a hand on her forehead. Her fever had stayed the same, if anything, it had gotten worse. He wet the cloth again and placed it back on her forehead with a frown.

He set down the stuff he had gotten from town on the small table that was in the room.

"Uncle, you're back already?" He turned around to see Zuko standing up and stretching.

"Alice was right. The Shadow Nation money sold for good prices. I bought everything we needed and still have more money left over."

"That's good." Zuko sighed. He glanced at Alice. Her breathing was labored slightly and a thin sheen of cold sweat covered her forehead.

"She just needs rest. She will be fine, Zuko."

"If you say so..." He muttered.

A few times throughout the day, Alice woke up. Almost immediately every time, she was urged back to sleep by Zuko and Iroh.

Just as it was getting dark, Zuko walked back over to her. He set a hand on Alice's forehead. Her fever had gone down, and she was sleeping peacefully.

"Uncle, I'm going to go ahead to bed, and so should you. Alice is sleeping peacefully. We start traveling again tomorrow if she's up to it." He said, turning to his uncle.

"That's a good idea, Zuko." Iroh said, yawning. He walked over to his own bed.

Zuko looked at Alice for a moment. She seemed okay.

"Goodnight, Alice..." He murmured, smoothing some hair out of her face.

**Author's End Note**

**So yeee some fluff with Alice and Zuko! I had more in plan for this chapter, but it fell sort of short...**

**So... sorry for not updating in a couple days! My internet was down!**


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